Two weeks had passed since Sweetie Tooth had fallen ill and finally, both the doctor and Ruby Rose agreed that she was strong enough to go back to school. While Sweetie Tooth was excited to join her sisters and see her friends again, Crystal Note felt more than a little wistful as she watched her filly leave the house and canter down the street. They had spent so much time together and grown so close, ever since they both agreed that they belonged with each other. As much of a challenge as it was, Crystal Note enjoyed being a mother for her filly and didn't hold back.
Now that the house was quiet, with all three sisters off to school, the newest mother of the Crystal Empire once again was reminded that being a mother meant more than just hugs, smiles and lullabies. A pile of laundry waited for her, the pantry needed to be restocked and she'd fallen behind on cleaning in general. However, those chores didn't seem bothersome at all. She was doing this for her daughters after all. Whenever she thought of that, she just couldn't help but smile. It took all morning to take care of the most urgent chores and after a quick snack for lunch, Crystal Note decided to get some other work of hers done as well.
Now that she had accepted to become a mother, some pent up emotions and feelings surged out of the background, not overwhelmingly strong, but enough for Crystal Note to sit down and sort them out. Also, she felt more inspired than she had in weeks, mostly because she was still glowing with joy every time she thought of the three fillies.
So she picked up some sheets of paper, a quill and her trusted violin. Only a few minutes later, melodies filled the house and notes filled the parchment. Crystal Note was already humming some vocals, but she knew better than to push it. Things would come together when the time was ready, and just like a good wine, her songs needed time to ripe before they were really finished.
The sound of the door made her look up from her work. As usual, Crystal Note had lost track of time while composing, more so than usual judging by the stack of note sheets she'd put together this session. Satisfied with her work, Crystal Note put the quill away with her magic, but she kept her violin in her hooves, idly playing a little tune just for fun.
The door to the foyer opened and Velvet Heart walked in with a bright smile that Crystal Note returned wholeheartedly. The filly joined her and sat close as she watched and listened to the music. Velvet Heart especially enjoyed when she played the violin and ever since their trip to Vanhoover, she made no secret of it anymore.
Crystal Note didn't mind at all, of course. In fact, she was happy to share her passion for music with Velvet Heart, since it was a sign that the filly opened up more to her. She kept playing on for a couple more minutes, but then she asked over the tune as she brought her last song to its end
"Velvet, where is your sister? Didn't you walk home together?"
Velvet Heart frowned a little and shook her head
"Sweetie Tooth had to stay behind. Our teacher wants to help her catch up on what she missed while she was sick."
Crystal Note put down her violin and watched Velvet Heart closely, a little surprised by her reaction
"I guess that makes sense. She's been away for some time, after all. Even though I know you told her what she missed and helped her with homework."
Velvet Heart blew her breath out through her nose
"That's what I wanted to do, but the teacher sent me home. He said he'd have Glass Slipper take Sweetie Tooth home when they were finished. It's like all the homework we do together doesn't count at all."
Crystal Note smiled softly and recognized the frustration of the filly clearly now. She sat down next to the filly and gently nuzzled her mane
"I'm sure that's not it, dear. Your teacher just wants to make sure Sweetie Tooth can still keep up with the rest of your class. He'll send her home as soon as he realizes how much you already helped her."
Velvet Heart sighed frustrated, but she didn't pull away from the gentle affection of her caretaker. Crystal Note knew this meant her words had helped. Velvet Heart just had to blow off a little steam. Now that this was done, Crystal Note smiled at the filly
"Well, at least we get a little time for us out of it. It's been a while since we did something together, just the two of us. What do you say, dear?"
Crystal Note felt Velvet Heart tense up next to her and even pull away a little
"I still have homework to do."
The mare nodded and held back a sigh. As much as she enjoyed those moments of closeness to Velvet Heart, they were always over far too soon. The filly still didn't trust her as much as her sisters did.
Therefore, Crystal Note just nodded approvingly, with her kindest smile
"Alright, dear. Let me know if you need any help."
Velvet Heart nodded and squatted down with her books on the soft rug in front of the fireplace. Crystal Note stayed in the room and returned to her own stack of notes.
It wasn’t very long before she heard those little annoyed sounds from Velvet Heart again. The filly was very clever and usually had no problems with schoolwork, but when she did, she got frustrated very easily.
Crystal Note walked over and glanced at the books
“Are you getting along, darling?”
Velvet snorted in frustration and threw a glare towards the mare
“You don’t have to pretend like you care. Sweetie Tooth is not around to see.”
Crystal Note recognized that glare, easily. She knew the filly wasn’t angry at her for asking or even angry at her homework. Whenever she glared like this, Velvet usually had something else bothering her, but she didn’t know how to put it in words sometimes.
Taking the only clue she’d gotten, Crystal Note stayed calm and faced the apparently angry filly
“Who says I’m pretending, darling? It is so hard to believe that I really care for you?”
The glare intensified and Crystal Note supressed a smile. It seemed like she’d hit right on the spot and Velvet Heart didn’t like being figured out that easily
“Yes! I get that you’re close with Sweetie Tooth and she starts calling you ‘Mommy’, but she’s not around so why don’t you stop pretending?”
Crystal Note sat down as she began to realize where this was headed
“Velvet, I care for Sweetie Tooth and I care for you and Glass Slipper the same way. There’s no difference to me between the three of you. I’m not pretending.”
“But there is!”
Velvet Heart jumped on her hooves as her frustration slowly turned into anger
“Sweetie Tooth always helps you cook and you go shopping and you always read her favourite bedtime stories. But, when we talk it’s awkward and we argue! I’m always yelling at you!”
Crystal Note smiled calmly and simply nodded, but this was more than enough to fuel Velvet Heart’s anger even further
“You’re always calm, you’re always smiling and happy, even when I yell at you! Why don’t you ever get angry at me? Don’t you care at all?”
Velvet Heart kept her glare up but Crystal Note could already see tears gleam in her purple eyes. She realized that the filly had kept these feelings under lock for a while already, but now they had to burst out.
Her first instinct was to pull Velvet into a tight hug to show her how much she cared for her. However, she realized that the filly would not appreciate this right now. A hug simply wouldn’t be enough. Those worries had already festered in her thoughts. If Crystal Note wanted to clear them out, she had to do this the right way, even if it could be a shock for Velvet Heart.
So Crystal Note held Velvet’s gaze as her features softened. Her smile stayed, but instead of calm and collected, she let some of her worries show themselves. Just like she had worried about Sweetie Tooth’s illness, she now worried for Velvet Heart the very same way.
Her voice was still calm as she started to explain
“Velvet, I’m not always happy and calm. I get scared too, you’ve seen that. I worry far too much and far too often. Sometimes I’m scared and sometimes, I’m even angry.”
Velvet’s glare had lost some of its strength as the filly took in Crystal Note’s expression, but that last statement had her anger flaring once more
“You never show it! So it’s nothing but pretending!”
Crystal Note sighed softly and shook her head
“That’s not it, Velvet. Maybe I’m angry, but I’m never angry at you. I don’t want to be angry at you, or your sisters. You can yell at me all day long if you like, but I know you don’t mean half the things you say when you’re like that. I’d rather have you yell at me, so you don’t hurt your sisters with your words, even if accidentally.”
“But why? Why put up with me when you know it’s not right?”
Crystal Note took a deep breath and locked her eyes with Velvet Heart. The filly gasped when she saw the mare’s expression, so open and vulnerable
“There are a lot of reasons, but it the end it all comes down to one fact.”
Whatever Velvet Heart had expected, the next three words shook the floor underneath her hooves
“I love you, Velvet Heart. I love you very much.”
Velvet stared and her jaw dropped. It took her a moment to really understand what she had just heard, and when she did, she almost couldn’t believe. Like a reflex, she muttered out words she’d been using more frequently recently
“You’re not my mom.”
As soon as she said it, Velvet Heart felt scared on how the mare would react to rejection after a confession like this.
Crystal Note didn’t even flinch. Instead, her lips curled into a soft smile
“That doesn’t matter, Velvet. It doesn’t matter to me. I couldn’t love you more even if you’d been my filly from the very first day.”
Velvet could just stare, baffled and confused, but also strangely comforted. She still didn’t dare to believe and her doubts pushed ahead once more
“But, how?”
At this, Crystal Note chuckled softly and moved closer to the filly
“How could I not, Velvet Heart? Maybe it’s only been some weeks, but that doesn’t matter. You’re a wonderful filly, darling. You’re bright and clever, you notice so many things others would miss. You always know how your sisters or I feel from just looking at us. You were so sad when we first met, but you work so hard to get past that, not for you, but for your sisters as well. That’s something I admire about you. Maybe you’re a little impatient, but you’re still young, Velvet. I wish nothing more but to watch you strive and grow, and I’ll do everything to see you happy. You have such a big and wonderful heart, darling, and I can’t wait to see the wonderful mare you’ll be one day. And I’ll be there for you, every step of the way and further.”
By now, the tears from earlier started leaking out and Velvet Heart had a pitch in her voice
“But I’m nothing like that! You don’t know me at all!”
She even sounded desperate to herself, the last once of doubt to the mare’s words lashing out in a feeble attempt
“I wish I would know you even better, true. But what I know is more than enough to love you like my own. When you’re sad, I want to comfort you. When you’re angry, I want to help you let go of that anger. And when you’re happy, you make me happy too. I don’t need to be your mother for all that, but I will be if you ever want me to.”
It was at this point that Velvet Heart didn’t want to hold back any longer. Tears streamed down freely and now, Crystal Note was there. Her hooves gently circled around the filly and pulled her closer, offering her body to lean against and letting Velvet cry into her coat.
Velvet Heart sniffled and looked up at her eyes. Crystal Note didn’t seem annoyed or disappointed, just a last proof that she really knew her. Crystal Note had been nothing but honest with her, to a point she’d almost felt uncomfortable. It was only fair that Velvet now would be honest just as much
“I… I’m not sure if I do. Maybe some time, but right now… you’re not Mom. I’m sorry.”
Velvet looked away shyly, afraid she might have angered the mare who had just poured her heart out to her and sung her praises, but Crystal Note just gently nuzzled her mane in a very comforting way. She glanced up again and saw that warm smile that made her feel loved
“I understand, darling. I didn’t tell you all this to pressure you into something. But I needed to tell you, so you wouldn’t have to worry anymore.”
Crystal Note pulled back a little so she could look directly into her eyes again
“Velvet, I do love you with all my heart. I want you to be happy. I want you to be safe to grow up and be yourself. Nothing you say or do will ever make me stop loving you. No matter if you get angry sometimes, that’s not going to change, so you don’t have to worry.”
Velvet Heart smiled and pressed against Crystal Note again, shamelessly lunging into another hug. That had been her deepest worry even before the confession, but now she knew Crystal Note was aware of it as well.
Velvet enjoyed the feeling of just being held for a while longer. The tidal wave of emotion had drowned out most of them, but now thoughts poked their ways back into her head
“What about Glass Slipper and Sweetie Tooth?”
Crystal Note laughed melodiously and remembered that Sweetie Tooth had asked almost the exact same thing some time back
“I love them just as much as I love you, Velvet. You three have a place in my heart. I’ll tell them the same I told you, and then they can decide, just like you.”
Velvet Heart nodded, but she stayed in the hug for a little longer, she knew Crystal Note wouldn’t mind
“When did you know that…?”
The filly didn’t have to finish her question for Crystal Note to understand
“Now that I think about it, it’s been a long time. I knew from the very first moment I met you that you three were special, but I needed some time to realize. And some more to be brave enough to be more for you. You three had to go through so much, I didn’t want to overwhelm you. And I was worried I might push you apart.”
Velvet Heart nodded again. It didn’t all make sense to her right away, but she realized that Crystal Note had thought a long time about it. It felt good to know that this was so important to her
“What changed?”
Crystal Note smiled and gently nuzzled Velvet’s mane
“I did, mostly. I saw you three growing closer, to each other but also to me. Bonne Voyage also gave me a piece of her mind when we visited. It reminded me of something Princess Cadance told me a long time ago.”
Velvet glanced up only to find Crystal Note smile lovingly, like a really mother would
“Love doesn’t suddenly run out. The more you give it, the more it grows. I was done holding back from that moment on. As you can see, it still took me a while before I could tell you.”
Crystal Note chuckled softly when Velvet stared up at her with curious eyes
“Sweetie Tooth needed me when she fell ill. And you needed to learn the truth so you don’t have to worry anymore.”
Velvet smiled and nodded. She let her head come to rest against Crystal Note when she thought of what happened after their trip out of the Empire
“You made us move right after we came back from Vanhoover. That’s part of it too, right?”
The mare smiled proudly at how quickly the filly had figured things out
“You needed a safe place to grow and strife, but your house was so full of sad memories. You needed some distance and I was done holding back.”
Crystal Note held her filly in the gentle embrace and allowed Velvet to be the one to break it. When Velvet wiggled out, her eyes shined brightly again and she smiled
“What’s going to happen now?”
Crystal Note smiled and leaned in for a soft nuzzle
“Nothing has to change, Velvet. Not until you’re ready for it. I just hope, now that you know, it will help you. And next time you need to vent, come at me right away.”
Velvet giggled and nuzzled back softly, something she rarely did
“I will. Thanks, Crystal Note.”
“You’re very welcome, my little gem.”
Velvet blushed a little, as this was something her mother had called her too, but her smile came back quickly. Maybe someday, Crystal Note would be her mommy. Maybe not. But she could feel clearly that Crystal Note really loved her and that it was safe to return this love. She’d find a way to do so in time. She knew that, because she knew Crystal Note was there to help her do so.
Velvet Heart leaned in for another hug with a happy smile. She trusted Crystal Note and things would turn out right.